A perfect marriage:  social networks and the most of social of social settings – our favorite watering holes.

Take Our Survey~ Bars & Social Networking ~Takes 2 Minutes | Then View Results
Today we’re going to skip all the demographics, case studies, and other boring science that proves how many bar & club patrons are active in social media and highlight a few key points on how establishment owners can leverage the power of Facebook, Twitter, Foursquare, and other networks to their benefit.

Goals

Of course we want more customers, buying more drinks… but how do we make that happen?

1. Increase Patron Loyalty
   Every locale has them.  The guy that spends his paycheck there over the weekend or better yet has the pub’s address on his business card.  Communicate with them regularly to retain the current ones, and turn the casual visitor into a regular.
2. Increase Awareness of Specials & Events
   Booked a great band or have a stellar ladies night special?  The best event isn’t as good as the one everybody knows about.  By leveraging social media, you can efficiently inform your customers about upcoming good times – and they’ll love you for it.
3. Create Patron Advocates for the Establishment
   Competition for entertainment dollars has never been fiercer… what better than an army of non-paid cheerleaders suggesting that the group end up or meet up at XYZ bar?  Foster and encourage these types to become more vocal because there’s nothing better somebody who will do word of mouth marketing for free, then come in and pay for a drink with all of their friends.

Opportunities: Where are Your Customers Now?

There are four main venues to interact with current and future customers on the web.  Each bar or club has to evaluate which one(s) are the most productive areas to focus their efforts, so this section is meant to provide an introduction into what these social media services are, and how they may be used to connect with customers.

1. Facebook
   Facebook, the Grand Daddy of social networks,  would actually be the third largest country.   Opportunities to connect, advertise, and promote an establishment abound.  In some age groups and circles, so much online time is spent here that a user’s online and offline worlds become inextricably intertwined.  Having a presence here in 2010 is mandatory, but if worked correctly it can be a gold mine. 

   Some Uses:

   • Fan Pages
     Fan pages are special profiles for businesses where users (read: customers) can become “fans” of the business which allows that business to broadcast updates such as a concert schedule or happy hour specials to their fans.  Additionally, Facebook will display that these user’s have become a fan of the bar/club/pub to their friends  & even allow them to suggest that their friends also become a fan.
   • Direct Advertising
     Facebook allows business owners to directly advertise their services on the site, and with the amount of information Facebook collects you can bet that it’s the most targeted form of advertising available.  Ad rates can vary depending on the area of the country and competition, but are generally very reasonable.
   • Groups
     Facebook groups are yet another, and for more of an organic arena allowing members to post to discussions, upload photos, and more.  Best of all, you are allowed to create as many groups as you like and brand it how you see fit.
2. Twitter
   Twitter is an updating service, where one accumulates “followers” who can then read their postings.  All postings are short, under 140 characters to be exact – but “Ladies Night – $1 well drinks from 9 until 11″ is only 45 characters.  In addition, followers of your postings (Tweets) can then re-post them to their own network allowing simple messages to go viral and reach many.
3. FourSquare and other Location Networks
   Foursquare is a web and mobile application that allows registered users to connect with friends and update their location. Points are awarded for “checking in” at venues. Users can choose to have their check-ins posted on their accounts on Twitter, Facebook or both.  A user can even be crowned “mayor,” indicating that he or she has checked in more than anybody else in the last 60 days.
4. The Establishment’s Web Site
   In all honesty, it drives me nuts when I can’t find a band schedule online for a club I know has good music day in and day out.  Are they trying to hide it?  Not only in pre party planning does a bar/club/pub’s website come into play, but increasingly more so since smart phones with internet browsers are catching on like fire.   There are some basic questions owners can answer on their website’s that can greatly affect whether a customer comes in with his/her friends, or finds another locale that fits the bill.

Strategy: 14 Tips to Engage Your Customers

Here are just a few tips on how to get in front of your customers so they’ll end up in front of your bars and ticket lines.  Not all fit every situation, but the right ones for the right watering hole can lead to huge results while costing little or nothing in terms of time & money.

1. Free Bar Tab for Facebook Fans
   Simply post a simple flyer near the door offering a free $10, $20, or $50 tab for a Facebook fan every week or every month.  Then, every time you announce your trivia night or next week’s concert line-up it appears on their account.
2. Show Off
   Had the most outrageous Halloween shin dig this year?  Post photos of the awesome costumes and good times had so that every body remembers what they missed next year. And why not take it a step further?  By taking down the names of the party-goers,   you can then “tag” them so that all their friends can see too.
3. Concerts & Event Schedules
   Post them everywhere you can.  You can also send invitations to fans of your Facebook page, and encourage them with door prizes to RSVP.  This last part is important, because it shows up in your fans’ activity stream, which in turn is pushed to their entire network.
4. VIP & Advanced Tickets
   Give people who connect special benefits, or even offer the first shot at tickets.
5. Love Your Mayor
   Foursquare in particular allows members who check in at a business the most to become what they deem the “mayor.”  Acknowledge them, and maybe even make a competition out of it.
6. Create a  Group
   Facebook groups are great way to get people to rally around a cause, wouldn’t you like to be the public face of such a movement?  Remember to keep the group about your customers & what they want, not your bar.  For example:  “Keep Athens Bars Open ’til 3:00″ or “Allow Liquor Sales on Sunday in Georgia.”
7. Party Live
   Webcams…  It’s easy to show the world that your club is tonight’s hotspot these days, and they can be easily viewed by most smart phones.
8. Have a Instant Twitter Contest
   Bar tender over the PA:  “Free shots to the first person to Tweet ‘I’m at Moe’s Place with Homer Simpson’.”   Imagine how many patrons will post to Twitter or Facebook for some free booze.  Repeat as necessary.
9. Claim Your Spot
   In both Facebook and FourSquare.  There are many sites offering locational networking, but these two the pub owner should control.
10. Followers Know First
    Every body wants to be in the know, need I say more?
11. Post Some Video
    So last week’s wet t-shirt contest might be a no-go, but what about how crazy last new year’s was when the ball dropped?
12. Give ‘em a Menu
    Serve food or specialty drinks?  Make sure to post a menu on your website and Facebook page.
13. New Brew
    While featuring that local brewery’s new seasonal – why not send it out over the net?
14. Alter the Dress Code
    Every one hates being left out.  Ask everyone to wear cowboy boots, or funny hats, or whatever…  the point is either give them a discount or make them a part of the party.  Those in the know will feel a special connection to the party, and those who aren’t won’t want to miss out on next time.